


Part Of Your World

by capulets



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: A Hint Of Carlos, Angst with a Happy Ending, Audrey Is Sebastian Because That’s Peak Audrey, But They Won’t Say They’re In Love, Definite Comedic Relief, F/M, Gil Is Flounder, Harry Worships Uma Like The Goddess She Is, If Ariel and Eric Were Explosive And Intense, Jay Is Scuttle, Maybe Some Platonic Buma, Minor Gil And Jay, Minor Malvie, The Little Mermaid AU, Uma Is A Rebellious Child, Ursula Is An Evil Genius So Watch Out For That, and Uma Accepts It, more tags to come, some fluff sprinkled in, this is a slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2020-10-18 13:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20639654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capulets/pseuds/capulets
Summary: The task seemed simple enough: Get on land, charm a prince, get him to marry her, and hand over all control to her mother, who would then have both land and sea under her command. Simple. Right. World Domination at its finest, and all Uma had to do was convince a man to fall so deeply in love with her that he never wanted to leave her side again. Of course, there were the humans to contend with, as well as the plethora of eligible bachelorettes just waiting for the chance to fall at the feet of a royal. Not to mention she would have to become human herself, and somehow integrate herself into his life. She couldn’t even consider the idea of being human, let alone how she was going to turn into one. She should’ve known it was never going to be that easy.It’s here! The Little Mermaid Huma Au! Based off of the movie and the musical, so there will be references to both. The plot is mainly the same, save for a few sinister twists. Apologies for this rough summary!





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to The Little Mermaid AU! Thank you so much for checking this out, and I hope you enjoy it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” - John A. Shedd

**CHAPTER ONE**

_I Want The Good Times Back _

Uma sat, stewing over her mother’s proposition as she plucked petals from a plant she’d found on the sea floor. Her aquamarine braids floated gently around her face, the teal and white blending perfectly with the coral only a few fins behind her. Or, in her case, arms. She was the only one of her mother’s seven daughters to be born with octopus appendages instead of mermaid fins, and that apparently made her the only one suitable for the task the queen of the sea wanted done. It seemed simple enough: Get on land, charm a prince, get him to marry her, and hand over all control to her mother, who would then have both land and sea under her command. Simple. Right. It was bad enough that Ursula’s quest for vengeance kept her from actually parenting, now she wanted to bring Uma into her mess? She was surprised she’d been given the choice at all. She felt her mind drift off to the conversation from earlier that day, so clearly she could practically hear her mother’s voice rasping in her ear…

_“Uma!” Ursula had bellowed, and her youngest had come within seconds. The queen of the sea never asked twice. Everyone in her domain knew that, and there was no one that knew it better than the seventh daughter. A neutral expression settled on her face, and she made sure to keep her gaze level with her mother’s eyes, despite the fact that wasn't being directly spoken to. **No one **was allowed to be on Ursula’s level, which was **exactly** why Uma’s unflinching stare was present. Anything that made her mother tick was well worth possible reprimanding, or a tentacle smack. _

_“Yes, mother?” Yes, mother. No, mother. Right away, mother. It was a constant battle between the obedience that was expected of her and the treatment her mother actually deserved. Ursula pursed her lips, eyes flickering over her daughter in a once over. Quick as a lightning flash, a tentacle shot out and captured Uma’s chin. Her nostrils flared in anger as her mother smiled (more or less baring her teeth than genuinely smiling, but she counted it due to the malicious happiness clearly shining away in the eyes she was staring at), but Uma only stood up straighter. She was no guppy. She would not fall prey to the mighty sea queen’s usual intimidation tactics. _

_“There's something I need, Angelfish — ” _

_“What else is new?” Uma grumbled underneath her breath, a soft huff slipping out from in between her clenched teeth. At the term of endearment, something began tickling at the edge of her brain. Of course, she was being called out in the next second, so she didn't have time to think about it. _

_“What was that?” Ursula snapped, her tentacle tightening ever so slightly around Uma’s chin. The young princess said nothing, and a self satisfied smirk crossed the sea queen’s face. “That's what I thought.” She hummed, though the tentacle didn't relinquish its hold on her. “Anyways, there's something I need, and only you can get it for me.” This piqued Uma’s interest, no matter how disgusted she was with the thought. The great and powerful Ursula telling **someone else** that they were the **only sea creature **who could perform a mysterious task? Curious. She could tell her mother picked up on her intrigue, because she yanked the tentacle holding her chin forward, pulling the goddess attached to it with her._

_ “I have the sea at my command. The shell, the crown, the throne, the whole damn works.” Here the queen paused, the smirk widening as she undoubtedly reminisced on what it had taken to come to this point. Uma had heard the stories of her mother's triumphs since before she had grown into her tentacles. The smirk faded into a grimace as the memories of bloodshed and terror seemed to come to an end, and Ursula continued. “**However**, Babykins, the world above is lost to me. Don't think I don't know about your little excursions,” here Uma **pretended** to have a flash of fear run through her, eyes widening with faux terror, “I do. I see all, hear all, know all. I **am all. **To come to the point — the humans have had control of the shore for far too long now. Loosing their waste on us, spearing mermaids left and right, some even claiming a mysterious **king** controls their fate on the water. A king! No. I want the land they've stolen from us, the land they believe to be their own. In the beginning, everything was water,” at this point Uma could practically quote everything Ursula was saying, which was fortunately lost to the original goddess in her excitement, “**which means** that, before my father foolishly split our territory in two because brother dearest just had to go and die at the hands of a human woman, merfolk ruled. The time has come to reclaim what is rightfully ours! And you are going to get it for me.” Uma didn't bother to point out that she’d technically be getting it for all Atlantica -- it wasn't worth the aftermath. The logic behind her mother’s plan worked, somewhat. She could already guess that she'd be disguised as a human and would need to infiltrate something somewhere. Ursula clearly believed Uma’s knowledge of the human world from her brief visits above (dalliances, really) were what made her capable of handling such a grand task. It was a great plan. Nearly perfect, actually. There was only one problem. _

_“No.” Uma said, her voice as strong as the fire in her eyes. She actually had the audacity to laugh. While the look of unadulterated shock on her mother’s face was blissfully delicious, she soon felt herself biting down on her lip to keep from gasping as the tentacle around her chin tightened once more. _

_“No?” Ursula whispered dangerously, leaning down to be level with her daughter’s face. Uma kept herself calm the one way she knew how: singing. She'd came into the world singing, and from the expression on Ursula’s face, she was about to go out of it the same way. The song remained in her mind; she didn't dare use her voice (the loveliest in all the sea) to even hum; her melody would remain her own, uncorrupted by her mother’s influence. When she was calm enough to speak, she did. _

_“No,” Uma repeated, shaking her head the fraction of a centimeter the tight grip it was caught in allowed her to, “I’m not going to be your little eel in this domination plot. It doesn't benefit Atlantica in **any **way, and you never explained just how I'm supposed to deliver the domain of the humans to you on a bed of seaweed. You’ve wanted this for, what, years? There is **nothing** that makes this time any different from the others. Get Lonnie, or Jane. Any one of my sisters would be happy to be considered for the honor of risking life and fin for this, but I'm not.” The blatant disrespect in her tone was completely new, but Uma had never let her mother walk all over her. Quiet rebellion wasn’t her style, but seeing as Ursula was the ruler of the seas, she did what she could. In all honesty, Uma expected another one of her mother’s tentacles to pick her up and toss her across the room. Or maybe to snap her neck right there… one harsh twist of her chin at the correct angle would do it. She was genuinely surprised to find her mother releasing her with a laugh, the tentacle previously wrapped around her chin swishing her braids around. _

_“Think it over, Angelfish.” Ursula purred, and Uma only swallowed. She'd anticipated the usual outburst to her insubordinate actions, not this… kindness? Was that what it was? It unnerved her greatly. She was sent on her way with a tentacle pat to the cheek, and she hadn't stopped until she'd reached the palace’s garden. Atlantica’s plant life was overseen by the prim and proper half crustacean keeper of everything in regards to the palace, Audrey. Uma had settled into her favorite rock, not even noticing how she was shaking until she continuously missed plucking up a nearby flower. Studying the petals had calmed her, and then the picking began and..._

Uma’s hand crushed the stem of the flower as the last petal fell. She couldn't sit there and wonder what her mother was up to, because she was up to something. That was undeniable. Ursula, Queen of The Deep, Ruler Of The Seas, Goddess Almighty, _her mother Ursula _did not smile and show affection to her youngest daughter. She barely showed it to Uma’s sisters, all of whom were content to shower the undeserving half octopus with love and attention. Uma had always wondered why she had been the odd one out. She was practically a replica of her mother — didn't that mean she should've been the favorite? That thought was the final straw. No matter what happened to her, Uma would _never_ fall prey to her sisters’ foolish fantasies. The only thing she wanted from her mother was to be left alone. Uma sprang up from the rock she'd been sitting on, stem and discarded petals forgotten. There was only one thing that could rid such horrible thoughts from her mind: direct disobedience. So, she swam as hard and fast as she could, traveling upwards to the place she knew her mother wouldn't dare lurk. It was then that the thought that had rushed through her mind made itself known: her mother only called her little names if she wanted something. That only forced Uma to swim faster, pushing herself with everything she had towards her the surface world. If it got her away from that horrible being, perhaps she would choose to stay forever.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” - Jacques Cousteau

**CHAPTER TWO**

_ The World Above _

Harry stood, fiddling with a silver hook with a ridiculously large smile on his face. He couldn't help but feel that  _ this  _ was the way life was supposed to be. The salty sea air, the wind in his face. There was nothing but water for miles, and he couldn't have cared less. It was a shame that his royal advisor, Ben, couldn't say the same. The poor man looked positively green as he leaned over the deck of the ship and made a retching sound. It would be mad of him to laugh, but there was no helping it! Harry had always been a little mad, anyways. 

“Isn't this perfection, Ben?” Harry whooped, coming up to his friend’s side and clapping him on the shoulder once he was well enough to stand upright. The wild prince’s words were spoken with a noticeable accent, one that had caused plenty of men and women on shore to swoon. It was something those who were in his presence long enough became accustomed to. Ben coughed, nodding carefully at the prince at his side. The advisor was wise beyond his years, the sense to Harry’s madness. 

“Not to impose on your happiness, Sire, but you've been sailing for quite some time now…” A warning flashed in the prince’s eyes, but his lips remained sealed, so the advisor hurried through his next sentences. “And, I just assumed it's time now to go back and honor your father’s dying wish to ascend the throne.” Harry’s gaze hardened as he stared his advisor down who, to his credit, didn't appear to be shaking in his boots just yet. The death of the king had been hard on the kingdom as a whole, to Harry, the event had come as a double edged sword. Everywhere he turned, there were condolences and tears. He'd remembered how his father used to take him out sailing every day when he was a boy, so gathering a crew and setting off for the horizon in a ship of his own was almost too easy. Everywhere he looked now, he saw his father. At the wheel of the ship, where he belonged, their kingdom’s greatest captain. In Ben’s telescope, searching out for new adventures, occasionally the ghosts of an unbearable past. In the red jacket he wore, something he'd been given on the day they'd christened the vessel he was currently standing on. Even in his hook, his father’s parting gift to him. The memories were inescapable, and with the good, there were the not so good. 

The late nights filled with rum as Harry had gotten older, seeing less and less of the man he’d known when he was a child. The shouting, sobbing, dodging bottles and blows before retreating to the safety of his rooms. His father had never been the same after his mother died. She’d been taken, along with his sisters, by the sea when he was very young. He remembered mischievous little CJ always running headfirst into trouble, and strong Harriet, every bit the princess despite her age. After they’d perished, Harry stopped associating his father as a great man. The famous Captain Hook left the ruling of the kingdom to his advisors as he withered away behind closed doors. Hardy coped with it as well as he could. He knew the king hadn't been too fond of his son’s tendencies (there had been dalliances here and there, flirtationships that had never truly gone anywhere), but he’d already came to terms with the fact that there was no one around to care anymore. As much as he appreciated Ben, his greatest friend could never replace his parents or his siblings. And the reminder of the throne he was supposed to ascend further compounded that thought into his head. Had his father ordered him to, he wouldn’t have. Ben’s words were met with the same effect.

_ I’ll tell you a tale of the Queen of The Sea... _

The sound of the sailors singing jarred him from his thoughts. He left Ben without so much as a word, a slightly off kilter smile crossing his features as he twirled his hook and whistled in tune with the crew. Ben followed him, tutting and muttering his disapproval at the song everyone seemed to be singing.

“Queen of The Sea?” He scoffed, “That’s nothing but a superstition! Truly nautical nonsense!” Harry rolled his eyes in plain view of everybody; Ben was a stickler about what was real and what was fictional. While the prince had no problem blurring those lines, his advisor was the one taking the daily dose of reality. Before Harry could offer a rebuttal, one of the members of the crew, known as Carlos, approached the pair, fear flickering through his eyes.

“Oh, no, sir,” He stammered, removing his hat and squeezing it with his nerves, “She's real! When the Queen of The Ocean is angry, beware. I'm telling you, you'd best hold on and pray for good luck before it’s too late and down you go into her watery hell soaked lair!” His voice practically squeaked, and Harry, who had always been a believer (for both of his parents were) turned to Ben, pointing his hook at him as if to say,  _ ‘See? What have I been telling ye?’  _ Their superstitious debates were often quite long and drawn out due to each male’s capacity for arguing with the other. Harry had been about to initiate another one based off of Carlos’s words, but he stopped in his tracks. His lips parted slightly, and that gave way to his jaw dropping gently. 

“What is that? Do ye hear something?” 

Ben and Carlos shared a look of concern. 

“Please, my lord,” Ben said calmly, taking a step in front of Harry with his palms out in a peaceful gesture, “You’ve been out on the open sea for too long. You must return to court and ascend the throne. You must seek a queen.”

Harry couldn't even concentrate on what Ben was saying. There was confusion in his eyes, but also unmistakeable need. For what, one may ask? Well… another song had caught the young prince’s ear, a wordless melody that enthralled him from the very first note he'd heard. But it wasn't the  _ song  _ that struck him speechless — it was the voice. Harry had never heard such a beautiful voice in his entire  _ life.  _ It was as though the Queen of The Ocean herself had blessed it. And from that very moment, he knew he needed to find its owner. 

“That's not the life for me, Ben, and ye know that.” The prince managed to say, cutting a hard glance towards his advisor before laughing in sheer delight as that wondrous voice blessed his ears once more. “There it is again!”

“We ought to go back to shore…” An uneasy Carlos chimed in, Ben assenting with an, “I agree!” Harry shook his head fervently at the two of them.

“Not while I'm Captain.”

The way he spoke made it clear there would be no dissuading him from his cause. If he couldn't take up his father’s mantle on land, he wouldn't be doing him the same disservice at sea. And as captain, his first order of business was to hear that voice until his ears bled, and even after that. He had never heard a sound so exquisite, and he vowed that he wouldn't rest until he discovered who such glorious music belonged to. 

“Now follow that voice — tae the ends of the earth if we have tae!” 

“Aye, Captain!”

The order given (despite the thickness of his accent having increased with his excitement to the point where he could barely be understood), everyone scrambled to their respective places, returning to work immediately. The crew kept on singing, and the invigorated prince felt so enlightened by the magical voice he'd just heard that he sang along to every line. 

_ There's mermaids out there in the bottomless blue, and it's hey! To the starboard! Heave, ho!  _

_ Watch out for em, lad, or you'll go to your ruin… _

_ Mysterious fathoms below!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit of a RIP in my opinion. Writing through Uma’s perspective was actually a little easier, but why not challenge yourself and try new things, right? I’m going to try my best to stay consistent with the dual perspectives, just because I think exploring both of their mindsets is really interesting! I tried my best incorporating Harry’s way of speaking into this but if it’s off, PLEASE CORRECT ME! I want to make this as accurate as it can be. I apologize if anything seemed ooc, I’m still trying to get into the swing of writing these characters! They’re also a little meshed with the movie/musical characters, so that’s just a little forewarning! Thanks for giving this a chance ❤️
> 
> XOXO,
> 
> capulets


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The best wave of your life is still out there.” - Steve Hawk

**CHAPTER THREE**

_ Storm At Sea _

All good mermaids knew that the surface world was forbidden.  _ It was a good thing I’m part octopus, and not technically a mermaid, then,  _ she thought as she swam up towards the brilliant, cloudless blue before her. To be perfectly clear, Uma was not in love with the surface world. In fact, all humans disgusted her, but since her mother had expressed her utter distaste with the so called ‘finless abominations’, the young sea goddess made it a point to visit the world above for an hour or two. Since she was feeling particularly vengeful at the moment, she decided to make it three. She couldn't believe she'd almost succumbed to the vile thoughts of wanting her mother's approval, her mother’s  _ favoritism.  _ It simply wouldn't do. She had never been more relieved to hear the grating shout of a large seagull in her entire life. She watched as it dove headfirst into the water, appearing to twist and arch until the figure of a man emerged. His skin was brown, dark eyes and a cocky smirk set in his mouth, the tresses just past his shoulder a blackened chestnut color brown. 

“You done showing off, Jay?” Uma grumbled, choosing to ignore how he'd stuck out his tongue at her. Around his neck was a white feather affixed to a piece of black rope. It had belonged to his father, who'd known her grandfather. It was the key to his transformation from bird to merman. While Uma could understand him in his feathery form, she knew Jay preferred to be seen with gills rather than wings. Speaking of, the pair turned to find a muscular, blonde merman swimming up to them at top speed, puppy dog eyes already out. 

“Uma, why did you leave me? I thought we were going to pick flowers in the garden together.” Gil’s frown was enough to make her cringe; she hadn't even been thinking about him as she rushed off, which was completely unlike her. No matter what she had going on, she took care of those she genuinely cared about. She didn't waste time in explaining the situation to both of her friends, both of whom were looking extremely pale as they took in the gravity of what she’d done.

“Shit…” Jay whispered, his eyes as wide as sand dollars.

“Wh-What do you think she's gonna do?” Gil stuttered, glancing side to side and behind him as though the sea queen was going to pop up and banish them to her watery hell soaked lair. Uma only scoffed at them both.

“Don't be such a guppy, Gil — You too, Jay! Trust me, she's not going to do anything.”

_ I hope. I hope she's not going to do anything.  _

While her face gave off the calm and collected air of a sea creature who'd been through this sort of thing before, her heartbeat was racing as she imagined the endless possibilities in which her mother was going to flay her alive once the denial fled. Jay gulped, providing a much needed distraction with his interjection, which was, “I know you hate the human world and all of that, but I found some human stuff today…” He needed no further prompting from Uma, who, though she truly did despise the humans as much as her mother, often entertained Jay’s whims because she cared for him. In his hands, he held a strange sort of object. It was a deep brown, with a skinny curved tube traveling into a fatter circle, open on both sides. Uma figured out fairly easily that air would travel through it should someone simply blow into it.

“This,” Jay proclaimed proudly, holding up his latest discovery, “is a snarfblatt.” 

“A snarfblatt?” Uma queried suspiciously, eyes narrowing as she tilted her head to catch the strange human contraption from all angles.

“A snarfblatt.” Jay confirmed with a nod. “These little babies are what the humans use to make music.” 

“Hey, isn't there a concert tonight?” Gil asked, and Uma glared at him. There was. Her and her sisters had been set to perform for the amusement of their mother, as well as the rest of the kingdom. But she would be paying that no mind now. She didn't know what her mother was going to do once she went back home, therefore she was postponing the return for as long as possible. 

“Play the snarfblatt.” Uma commanded, swishing her tentacles around in light annoyance. It wasn't really Gil’s fault, the source of her aggravation, so she chose to let it go and eradicate all of her current worries with her favorite activity. Besides, once Ursula had killed her, Audrey would resurrect her and kill her again, but right then, she couldn't have cared less. “I'll sing.” 

When Uma sang, all the ocean stopped to listen. Her voice was what legends were made of, what merfolk told their children about as they drifted off to sleep, what anyone would've given up their tail possess. She let all of her worries drift away with the tide as she let the notes fly free from her vocal chords. It was utter perfection, the feeling of singing. In her complicated life, it was one of the simplest joys she knew. That made it something she couldn't bear to lose. Uma’s voice was her prized possession. Without it… She was nothing. Of course, she never considered the possibility that she could ever lose it. The mere thought seemed improbable to even  _ her _ , daughter of the ruler of the deep. So, she never thought of it. Uma lost herself in the music until late in the night, when she finally gave her voice a rest. Her and the boys had been swimming around, testing their musical arrangements for quite some time until she spotted something in the distance. She squinted at it, attempting to discern its identity, before coming to the realization of just what  _ it  _ was.

“It's a ship!” 

Gil’s soft and confused, “What?” had her repeating her words, before she was grabbing his wrist and taking off to get a closer look. Yes, humans and their culture repulsed her, but since the concert was starting right about then, she shoved aside her revulsion in favor of picturing just how angry her mother would be once she found out. She felt Gil start as they neared the ship, and Jay was laughing in delight.

“This is so great. We’re  _ so close  _ —  _ This  _ is an  _ adventure _ . WE’RE OUT TO DISCOVER — !”

Uma clapped a tentacle over his mouth with a growl. Clearly, they were approaching the vessel incognito; shouting was going to get them caught. And while returning to the palace after purposefully making Ursula (and everyone else that happened to be collateral damage in their constant back and forth) look like a fool was grounds for instant death, death by humans was undoubtedly worse. The trio gazed onto the ship, taking in the sights and sounds as they came. The humans appeared to be a jolly lot, and that only angered Uma. Were they just as jolly when they were hooking in various sea creatures for their own sick delights? Or when they tainted her waters with their unwanted materials? They were worse than her mother. Correction:  _ nothing  _ was worse than her mother. 

But the humans were a close second. 

While the boys grew less antsy the more they observed the cheering, singing, and swearing of the humans, Uma only felt her restlessness spike. She knew what she was doing because she was doing it on purpose, but the minute she set tentacle back in her home, she was going to be gutted. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got because the fear accompanied it. 

On deck, she could make out a new sound among the humans, one who spoke differently than the rest. The voice was saying, “When I find her, I'll know.” At first, the curious brogue did nothing to dissuade the terrifying visions in her head. She could already picture her mother’s tentacles wrapping around her body, stretching her out and squeezing her like she was one of her mindless subjects, not her  _ daughter _ . And she would keep at it, slowly scrunching the princess into a pitch black oblivion. Uma could feel the breath stilling in her lungs, see her eyes bulging out of her head as her neck closed in on itself, her mouth opening without air, her precious vocal chords crushed and strangled, never to sing another note and —

“It’ll hit me like…” The voice was saying, slicing right through the visions that were closing up her throat. Due to its interruption, the pictures in her head scattered, and she was forced to breathe. A few more seconds and she would've been sinking down onto the ocean floor in a state of frozen terror. It usually took a shake from Jay or the comforting pressure of Gil’s arms around her to rouse her from a waking nightmare like the one she’d just experienced. Yet, this time, something as simple as a voice had brought her about, unaided by her boys. She could hardly believe it. A  _ human  _ had done that? 

“Like lightning.” 

_ Like lightning.  _

A single bolt flashed across the sky, and the sea goddess’s eyes were captured by it. She couldn't have looked away even if she tried, and while it appeared the bolt had come from nowhere, she knew better. Ursula had a special talent for dramatic entrances, and her trademark was a warning shot. Maybe it was an extra strong gust of wind, or a killer current. Not that time. That time, it was a lightning bolt.

“We need to go,” Uma barked, all thoughts of the death she would soon be subjected to and the human who’d kept her from succumbing to the vision of it fading as the two mermen by her side snapped to attention, “We need to go right n —”

But it was too late.

“Hurricane a comin’!” Came the shout from one if the crew members. Jay had slipped underneath the water, his form twisting and turning until it was feathered. 

“The wind’s really picking up! I'm gonna fly around and see if I can — Uma!” His shouts were lost in the banshee like screams of the gusts that blew him away. Uma’s hand shot out to grab him, but she'd been a second too late. With the faintest brush of fingers against wing, he was gone. 

“Get underwater,” She ordered Gil, the concern in her eyes balancing the harshness of her tone, “Now!” She watched as he did as she said, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw his tail disappear beneath the waves. The rain pelted her skin, and she was holding onto the side of the boat with all of her tentacles. She had brought this upon her friends, and she'd be damned if she didn't make sure they were safe before following herself. While she was worried for Jay, there was nothing she could do right now. With Gil safe and sound, it was her turn to abandon ship. She'd been about to head into the water when she heard that strange voice shout, “Batten down the hatches! Then get below deck, all of ye!” She could practically picture the human sprinting to the wheel of his ship, holding on white knuckled as the unforgiving rain raged against his face, blowing his hair back as he tried to keep the vessel afloat. It was idiotic, to say the least. Why were humans so hell bent on playing the hero? A clap of thunder was all she needed to stir her from her spot. She dove into the water just as another bolt hit the ship, the tell tale boom of an explosion sounding off behind her. 

“Prince Harry!” Came the frantic shout of someone from the ship, but Uma was racing below the waves now. Looking around for Gil in case he'd been injured by the new debris clouding the sea, her eyes landed on the figure who must have been captaining the ship before he'd been blown off of it. For a moment, all she could do was stare. His red coat rippled under the water, light brown strands of hair soaked and floating as gently as he was. A ripple of silver flashed before her eyes; there was something in one of his hands. On his back, arms outstretched, he was helpless against the pull of the ocean. She turned her back to him. No matter how he may have looked at that moment, she wasn't going to do anything about it. One less human to ruin her home would elevate her conscience, not relentlessly pursue it. And yet… She knew it was the man with the strange voice. And in the most technical sense of the phrase… He'd saved her life. Uma didn’t like to be in debt to people. When she made a deal, it was just as her mother had taught her; all of the loose ends were tied up — there was no chance of a loss. She hadn’t anticipated the very woman who’d taught her the tricks of the trade to unknowingly chase her into one of its pitfalls. Without the young man sinking behind her pulling her up, she would have been sinking herself. Like it or not, she’d struck a bargain of sorts. His words for her mind. Uma played fair; no bargain went unfulfilled. It was time to pay the price.

With a huff of annoyance, she whirled back around, swimming over to him and grabbing his arms. He was light as a feather to her in this form, but that didn't mean it was easy navigating the aftermath of a shipwreck. Everywhere she swam, there was a piece of splintered wood ready to stab them both, rope primed to ensnare and tangle them before she could get him back to the surface. Not to mention the object he was clutching was a  _ hook _ , which  _ almost  _ caused her to let him rest on the ocean floor. That added an extra layer of complexity, but she did her best to keep it from getting snagged on anything. The journey required the utmost concentration from her; obstacle after obstacle continued to cloud the path.

After what seemed like a great deal of time later, she hauled him onto the shore. She hadn't even realized she'd started singing until she paused to recover the breath she’d lost in getting him away from the water. Using her voice had helped her keep her composure, continue on and hone her focus like shark cutting through a school of plankton. Her eyes turned skyward the moment she’d laid him on the sand. The freak storm appeared to have passed, and the sky was once again an unmarked azure.

From it came Jay, still a seagull and thankfully looking no worse for wear than when he'd left her. The look they shared said it all: that he was fine, that she was fine, and that the man lying in her arms on the beach was their top priority. 

“Did she take him?” Uma got straight to the point, her tone as blunt as could be. Jay would understand it was her way of asking whether the brave sailor was alive or not. The seagull waddled over, his wing grasping the foot of the man. After making a face at the stench, he placed it to his ear. A somber look replaced his precious expression as he told her, “It’s hard to say.” 

Uma’s first thought was  _ No.  _ Her mother had already taken so much from her, and she was  _ not  _ allowed to claim the human Uma had exerted so much time and energy over saving. She leaned over him, squinting down before hissing, “Wait!” She placed her ear down by his lips and took a listen. “He's breathing.” The relief in her tone was purely because of a debt repaid. He'd saved her life, she'd saved his life. His words for her mind, her time for his breath. They were square. And yet, something compelled her to stay a little bit longer. Now she could see his face without obstruction and it was… unfortunately gorgeous. She couldn't deny the line of his jaw and its allure, or how she hadn't noticed the firmness of his body until she'd gotten a chance to lay against it. Her hand came up, almost of its own accord, and she found it was brushing a tendril of hair away from his face, tracing the edge of his jaw.

“I don't know when,” Uma sang out quietly, “I don't know how, but I know something’s starting right now…” She felt the young man coughing beneath her, watched as his eyes began to open. The last thing she saw was a breathtaking shade of blue, brighter than any sea or shore, before she was diving back into the water, followed closely by Jay. As she returned to the deep, that blue remained in her mind, even as she began to come to terms with the fact that she would no longer be alive to see the color sparkle and shine in certain situations. It was going to haunt her until she took her last breath. Which, according to her stellar intellect, would be quite soon. That blue followed her down into her domain, caressing the edges of her mind, painting everything in its shade. It was going to be her demise if it refused to fade into the background as all else seemed to when she considered it. But Uma was not one to fall prey to  _ anything _ , even enchanting shades. So she  _ forced  _ herself to think of what was ahead, begin preparing herself for what was to come. Oceanus could only tell what awaited her return to the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter! Figuring out Gil and Jay’s entrances was a little tricky, but I feel pretty good about them! And of course, another hint of Huma. I’m sorry for keeping you all on a hook for genuine Huma content — I’m building the storyline up before they have a solid interaction. But how did this one fare? 
> 
> XOXO,
> 
> capulets


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Fall deeper and deeper; the sirens are singing their song.” - Anonymous

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_ Her Voice _

The last thing Harry remembered was the storm. It came out of nowhere, almost as if… as if he had  _ beckoned  _ it, dared it to appear with his bold words. Ben rather liked the idea of his close friend having a queen to rule by his side, and Harry knew it was because his advisor wanted someone with the power to reign it in. It was no secret that the future king was more pirate than prince (although the late king would have preferred the term  _ sailor _ , something with a little less edge on it. There were appearances to uphold, after all), but what pirate was equipped to rule a kingdom? The lightning had struck then, dispelling all thoughts of marriage. Instead, his mind favored a course of action, body jumping into the position of a  _ true  _ captain. And the first rule of being a captain was taking care of the crew. He'd almost made it back to them, too. He maneuvered through the sheets of rain and sliding objects like it was nothing new to him. He just hadn't anticipated a bolt of lightning slicing through the rigging he was hanging onto and falling into the sea directly after. 

It was a blur from there, water, debris, and sound all mixing together to create a hellish maze he knew he wouldn't escape. But somehow, the next thing he registered was his back on land, light touches on his jaw, and that voice he'd been searching for  _ singing  _ to him… He’d tried to open his eyes, to put a face to the voice he’d been searching tirelessly to find, but by the time they focused, the girl was gone. Ben had ran onto the beach, shouting his name and hauling him up with all the care in the world. And he'd tried to explain what had happened and what he'd seen, but of course his friend wouldn't listen. So now he was here, back in the very spot he'd been delivered to, staring out at the ocean as if it held the key to unlocking everything there was to unlock regarding that voice. 

He kept replaying the events of the storm over and over again, hoping to find something in his memory that he had initially missed. His frustration only grew every time he came up blank; he was positive his hook was dulled after having his hand running over its curve each and every time he went back to that fateful event. Earlier, after he'd gotten a change of clothes, a meal, and slept, he’d begun to wonder if he truly  _ was  _ mad, if everything he'd heard was a figment of his imagination. But it couldn't be. A voice like  _ that _ had to be real. Which meant the girl who came with it was real too. He needed to know everything. Where did she go? Where could she be? When would she come again? When would she call out to him again? 

A groan of anguish slipped past his lips as he raked a hand through his hair, shaking his head vigorously. This was madness, literally madness. As he looked out on the waves cresting and crashing against the shore, he no longer saw his father. No, instead, everywhere he turned, he saw her. He saw her in the wind whipping across the water. He saw her in the glimmer of the moonlight on the sea. He saw her in the salty spray that burst forward from the ocean; he swore he felt those electrifying touches hit his jaw at the same time the spray did. He could hear her laughter in the ripple of the waves against the shoreline. He could see her smile in the way the rocks shone underneath the stars. As he gazed out upon the horizon, something inside him commanded him to return to his ship, to chase it with everything he had inside of him for even the barest hint of a note from that beautiful voice. He could  _ feel  _ her waiting for him, singing a song that was meant for him and only him. 

He couldn't get her voice out of his head. All day, all night, it was there.  _ Her voice. _ It was unlike anything he'd ever heard. Sweeter than angels sighing, as warm as a summer sky. Pure and bright, always near, always dancing just beyond his reach. Men would gladly lay down their lives in pursuit of that voice.  _ He  _ would have. He would've been glad to perish at the bottom of the sea if he could hear her singing to him as he drowned. Her melody was too lovely to withstand; she could start and end wars with it, of that he was certain. He felt honored to have had the pleasure of witnessing her song, to have heard her when no one else seemed to. That was a song meant for the sea gods, which could only mean she was a goddess of the sea herself. 

_ His  _ goddess of the sea.

In that moment, honor wasn't enough. Yes, the experience had humbled him in a sense, but if he was worthy of listening to her song, he wasn't going to stop until he'd heard it again. And again, and again, and again because it  _ wasn't enough to just listen.  _ He had to know her. The sea goddess with the magical voice capable of bringing even the most fearsome pirates and polished princes to their knees. He couldn't help it now; on her melody, he began to sing. Or, just as he was about to, he was halted by the entrance of his advisor, who he could tell was already overly concerned about his well being.

“Are you sure you should be out here? You haven't fully recovered, and it's late…” Ben’s anxiety over him would've been amusing had this been any other time. Right now, it only served to annoy the young prince.

“Impeccable timing as usual, Ben.” Harry grumbled underneath his breath, before reminding himself that his friend was simply looking out for him. He continued at an audible volume, “I’m fine. Just thinking.” 

“About that voice?” 

Suddenly, Harry was snapping to attention. The change was immediate — instead of half facing Ben, he had turned completely, gaze rapt and at the ready to receive any knowledge to be had on the subject. Once it was clear none would come, his shoulders sagged forward and his eyes found themselves trained on the ground.

“I just can't get it —  _ her  _ — out of my head. I have to find her, Ben. I have to.”

“I know,” came Ben’s response and subsequent grimace. Harry watched as he inhaled deeply, drawing himself up to full height in an effort to remain composed. He had to appreciate it. No matter how fanciful the prince seemed, his advisor always had his back. It meant a great deal to him. “Since it's evident that you won't be dropping this any time soon, I propose a contest in three weeks. We gather all the finest princesses from across the world with the best voices. They can sing for you, and you can finally put your notions to rest and ascend the throne with a wife.”

_ A contest? _

Harry blinked once, genuine surprise coming to his face before that gave way to joy.

A  _ contest.  _ It was  _ perfect!  _ Granted, there was the chance that his mysterious goddess  _ wasn't  _ royalty, but he knew Ben was only trying to do what was best for the kingdom. A prince needed a princess, so a princess this prince would have. He beamed, nodding his approval before choosing to voice it.

“Brilliant idea. I expected nothin’ less from ye.” The prince praised, clapping his friend on the shoulder as had done earlier. Ben returned Harry’s wide smile with a proud one of his own, a slight shiver at being brushed with the esteemed silver hook overtaking him before he was clearing his throat, expression morphing back into one of professional concern.

“Now, come back in before you catch your death!” 

Harry’s laugh bounced off of the rocks and onto the water, and he couldn't help but hope that the owner of that enchanting voice caught wind of it, wherever she was. He had no doubt that he was going to be able to find her now. Frustration was cast aside as Hope took its place, lifting the prince up to heights he'd previously stressed over whether they were possible. 

“One minute, Ben.” He requested, although it as more out of respect for his friend than genuinely needing to ask for permission. One of the perks to his title: technically, he didn't have to  _ ask  _ for anything. Despite the interruption, he hadn't forgotten he’d been about to complete before its occurrence. Intrusion or not, he needed to finish what he'd started. He turned himself out to face the ocean. His presence was all hers now, completely hers. He belonged to her already and he hadn't even seen her face. Care did he not, though, for he would make her his one day, and it appeared that day would be arriving sooner rather than later.

Softly, reverently, he was offering himself to her. One should never approach a goddess without an offering, and he had a whole kingdom at his disposal. Underneath that, however, he had an unending reserve of adoration. He would worship her as she deserved to be worshipped and, if she let him, love her as she was meant to be loved. The winner of the contest would be his bride, and he swore right then and there that  _ when  _ he found the owner of that voice, he was going to marry her.

Clutching his most prized possession in both hands, he held it out in front of him as if it was the only thing he had to give. In honor of the melody that had turned his world on its axis, the voice that gave it flight, and the girl he hoped to know, he quietly sang out her melody in a prayer, hoping the reverence in his voice would be enough to carry it forward, finding its way back to her and bringing him along.

“Strange as a dream, real as the sea, if you can hear me now, come set me free…” 

Prayer done, he cast one last long, wistful glance over his shoulder as he spun around to go join Ben. He returned to his castle, the song that would haunt his dreams until he found her spinning around in his head. But instead of his usual confused, equal parts enchanted and despaired mentality, he replayed the tune with joy and anticipation. His curiosity remained, but now, he had a reason to be enthused with the song. Ben’s plan was going to work. All that was left to do now was wait. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all. Y’ALL. I think I’m figuring my way around Harry’s words, the ye’s vs you’s and all of that. It will probably be majority ‘you’ for this story, but I’ll sneak in a few things here or there if I think it fits in! 
> 
> I love the way Harry thinks about Uma, so I thoroughly enjoyed crafting that up. Plus, Her Voice is one of my favorite songs from the musical so it was lovely to be able to incorporate it into a whole chapter. 
> 
> The first meeting is coming up I PROMISE. There’s just a few more things that have to happen first for plot reasons! This was a lengthy note so if you got through it, congrats! Thanks for reading my ramblings and of course for checking out the story.
> 
> XOXO,
> 
> capulets


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Follow your soul. It knows the way.” - Anonymous

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_ Poor Unfortunate Souls  _

_ Audrey _ was what was waiting for Uma when she returned to the palace, and in that moment, Uma would've preferred facing down her mother’s wrath. The half crustacean was livid. Her face was red, eyes practically bulging out of her head as she latched onto the youngest princess’s arm with her human hand, crab legs scuttling a mile a minute as she talked.

“Where in the name of Poseidon have you been?” Audrey screeched, her other arm flying out in the most dramatic manner possible as if to further emphasize her point. “ _ All I ask  _ is for one successful concert. Just one! And what do I get? Amissing princess and the  _ Queen of The Sea  _ breathing down  _ my  _ neck ready to send us all to rest with her dear brother, rest Triton’s soul, in a matter of minutes,  _ demanding  _ that her daughter be found! This was supposed to be my debut! The greatest concert in Atlantica’s history! But  _ noooo!  _ Apparently, it was too hard for a foolish little girl to handle!” 

“Are you done?” Uma asked, boredom practically dripping from her mouth as she tilted her head to the side to meet Audrey’s flabbergasted gaze. With a quiet sigh, her expression shifted into something a little more regretful. “I'm… sorry.” Uma managed to get out, swallowing down the rest of what she wasn't allowing to be spoken. She  _ did  _ feel a little regretful, but Audrey’s anger was just collateral damage. She'd gone after her mother and succeeded in aggravating her, so how sorry could she really be? Audrey only let out a small, “Hmmph!” rolling her eyes and yanking Uma forward. She was practically her mother’s right hand, which explained why she always acted as though she was much older than her tentacled friend, despite their ages being similar.

“Well,” Audrey exhaled in a rush of breath, a pinched frown crossing her pretty face, “I hope whatever you were doing was worth it!” 

Uma thought back to those blue eyes, saw in her mind the color she had yet to escape. Try as she had, the piercing shade had penetrated her mind over and over again. She’d learned from her mother to see what was ahead, but all she could consider was that color. There was nothing like it, and perhaps that was why it continued to zip through her thoughts. There was nothing like  _ her _ , either, and she’d never heard anything like  _ him  _ before...

“It was worth it.” She acknowledged as nonchalantly as possible, almost relieved when Audrey continued, “What, exactly, were you doing?” 

“Oh, you know,” Uma shrugged, tentacles lazily spinning about as Audrey finally slowed up her relentless pace, “Went up to the surface, sang for hours, rescued a human from drowning…” 

Audrey stopped dead in her tracks. The blood drained from her face as her mouth popped open, eyes following suit. She dropped Uma’s arm as though she'd been electrocuted, staring in utter disbelief and genuine fear. Contrary to popular belief, Audrey cared a lot about Uma. Not that the princess was aware, but she only wanted the best for the young royal she considered to be her friend.

“You did?” Audrey squeaked, and Uma was saved the trouble of repeating herself by the chaotic entrance of Gil. He tackled her into a hug, making sure to stay below her chin as a sign of his respect. Uma, who normally wasn't one for such obvious displays of affection, carefully wrapped her arms around the clearly spooked merman. His grip on her was tight, but she allowed him to remain in the circle of her embrace until his shaking had ceased. 

“Gil?” Uma prompted, and that was all the initiative the blond needed.

“So I was swimming — underneath the storm — and everything was just, wheeewww! And then it was all, waaaahhhhh. And I met this shark — he was really nice — but it got a little errrrrrrr, and — ”

“Spit it out!” Audrey snapped at him, and Gil flinched lightly. Uma laid a comforting hand on his arm, shooting a glare over to Audrey, who only rolled her eyes. 

“Your mom was looking for you.” Gil whispered, and Uma could practically see the tendrils of terror gliding off of him, slithering around his body like eels. “And she said that once she found you… It would be the trident.” 

_ That  _ was enough to cause a shock to Uma’s system. The trident? No one had seen her uncle’s trident for centuries, and it had only been used to enact punishment for the most heinous of crimes. Saving a human was punishable by death under Ursula’s rule, which meant…

“She knows.” Uma gasped, a hand flying to her throat as if to make sure it was still there. “How could she know?” She yelled, beginning to move back and forth, as if she were pacing. Gil appeared to be just as confused as she was, but Audrey… Audrey wasn't saying anything. Which was strange, considering she saw fit to interject her opinion into almost every conversation she came across. Uma swam over to her, opting for a hand on Audrey’s chin instead of a tentacle to bring their gazes together. In a very calm, steely voice, she gave her question.

“What did you do?” 

A second hadn’t even passed before she broke down. 

“I didn't know!” Audrey cried, her voice rising with both panic and regret, “I didn't know it was real! Lonnie and Jane were talking about how you'd been acting weird lately, with your longer visits to the surface, and they thought you'd fallen in love or something like that! So — So I kept listening and they said — they said you'd gone off to see a human! After your disappearing act at the concert, the merfolk started gossiping about how scandalous it was that  _ Ursula’s youngest daughter  _ had skipped a concert in order to  _ save a human  _ from the storm — but you know how gossip is! They once said Lonnie had gotten a shell infection, when really her shells were just super ugly! My point is, I thought it was a  _ rumor _ — I didn't know it was  _ actually true! _ ”

Audrey’s blubbering turned to sobs, but her sadness fell on deaf ears. Uma was explicitly clear with those she trusted enough to be around her. She expected them to respect her, and in return, she would make sure her mother never laid a suction cup on them. She took care of her own, and they, in turn, were loyal to her. Part of that loyalty meant  _ never  _ telling her mother of her whereabouts, what she was up to, anything in relation to her,  _ no matter what.  _ Uma understood her privilege as royalty, but she refused to allow Ursula to taint the good fortune she'd been given simply by being born into the right family. Obviously this came with wicked side effects, but she did what she could to stay afloat underneath the original sea witch’s reign (and keep the kingdom she truly loved afloat with her). Uma didn't tolerate being questioned. Those who followed her had to trust her, and vice versa. So the fact that Audrey was willing to throw away all of that trust on something she  _ knew  _ would not only upset Uma, but cause her more pain in the future than in the moment spoke volumes. 

“Leave us.” Uma commanded, and her tone gave no room for discussion. Audrey attempted it anyways. 

“Uma, I'm sorry. I didn't kn — ”

“Go!” Uma roared, and she could practically feel the waves quake at her command. Ursula had raised a storm above the water in anger. Uma’s fury would conquer the tide below. This time, Audrey’s persistence failed her. She scuttled off, and when she was gone, Uma sank to the ground, head in her hands. Wordlessly, Gil joined her, pulling her into his chest as she began to sob. Uma hated crying. She wasn't like her sisters, who would dote and swoon and fawn. She was withdrawn, stoic, a true leader. Tears were a sign of weakness in her eyes. Uma wasn't weak. But even she had a limit. What was she going to do? No one had ever seen her uncle’s trident in action — was she to die? Was her mother actually going to kill her? Make an example of her in front of the entirety of Atlantica? Her own daughter? 

_ No. _

Uma couldn't allow it; she  _ wouldn't allow it.  _ She lifted her head from Gil, who had been squeezing her as hard as he possibly could, as if he alone could keep any harm from befalling her. She inhaled, wiped her eyes, exhaled, then rose. Gil released her, rising and awaiting her commands. That almost made her smile. He didn't look at her as though she was in need of pity, or sentenced to death. To Uma, it appeared he only saw his princess and best friend, a merperson who could never be anything but fearsome and awe inspiring. Someone who could do anything, even outsmart the queen of the deep. 

“What's my name?” Uma said, more to herself than to him. Even so, he answered just as he was supposed to, a rallying cry meant to bolster her spirits and return her to her usual state of confidence.

“Uma!”

It worked every time. When she smiled, it was sinister. The wheels of her mind were turning faster and faster as she grabbed Gil and ducked off behind a nearby boulder. They couldn't go back to her room. All throughout their conversation with Audrey, they'd been down where the servants usually entered, a little side hole that was often overlooked. Uma always made sure to go through more obscure entrances and exits when she came back or left the palace. It made her patterns unpredictable, which made it harder for her to be followed. Not only that, should she ever need to run for her life (like now, for instance), she had plenty of hiding places and various routes from which she could leave.

“There's nowhere in the entire ocean she won't find me.” Uma murmured, the thoughts propelled by the wheels in her head now spinning out into sentence form. 

“So why don't you just go out of the ocean?” Gil suggested with a tiny smile. Though he'd calmed down, she could tell the threat of being zapped with the trident was still looming over his head (for surely he'd be guilty by association, which would lead to him being punished for helping her). She appreciated his efforts, but really? How was she supposed to stay out of the ocean? If she left she could never come back. She'd have to run away from the only home she'd ever known, the only place she truly belonged and leave her subjects in the hands of a tyrant. Or… She could disappear long enough to figure out a way to save Atlantica and allow her people the freedoms they deserved, the freedoms the humans probably got all along. She liked option two better. Still, there was an obstacle. She couldn't go to the surface as she was! 

_ If I’m going to live in the world above, I’d have to be —  _ ** _Oceanus_ ** _ , I’d have to be a — one of them. But how? I couldn’t. Unless... Unless I did it myself. _

“Gil, you’re a genius.” Uma laughed, a hint of incredulity lacing the action.

“I am?” The merman pondered, and she nodded at him. His way of thinking was a little different than most, but he came up with great ideas when it counted. “Thanks, Uma.” Gil beamed, and she put her hands up before he could hug her for the umpteenth time that day, opting to run a tentacle through his hair and curl another around his shoulder instead. 

“I need to turn myself into a human.” Uma said, and it was hard to believe that had actually come out of her mouth. 

“What?” Gil asked, more curious than alarmed, but he definitely didn't know what was going on. Uma shook her head at him. Even though he hadn’t processed everything yet, she couldn’t put the plan on hold when every second was a second Ursula was closer to finding them. 

“I'll explain on the way. Right now, we need to go to my mother’s lair.” None of Ursula’s children were allowed in the special cave in which she did her magic. She'd made sure to beat it into them that they were never to enter that particular place. It was the one thing Uma had yet to do, but it seemed that there was a first time for everything.

“I'm coming with you.” Came Audrey’s contribution to the conversation. In all of their planning and scheming, they'd missed her sidling up to their spot. Strange for them both; they were normally much more on alert. Then again, it wasn’t every day Uma planned to head off to the surface in order to evade death by trident. 

“Absolutely not.” The princess spat, her eyes flashing with the fresh wounds of betrayal still in her mind. 

“I can  _ help _ .” Audrey combatted, straightening her back a centimeter and holding her chin at a haughty angle. The way Uma laughed was harsh. It was the sound of broken coral, cracked shellfish, and unfortunately real pain.

“Why don't you go tell my mother what we’re doing?” Uma bit, the sass in her tone matched by the attitude in her eyebrow raise. “You're good at that.” She didn't spare so much as a glance towards Audrey, instead grabbing Gil by the wrist and dragging him off as quickly as she could. She had a plan now, a mission. Though the thought was far from comforting, Uma’s determination outshone every other negative emotion. Failure was not an option when the trident came into play. But Uma had always had a way of surprising those around her. She would be human. When she was, her mother wouldn't know what to do with herself. And when she least expected it, Uma was going to show her what it truly meant to be a poor unfortunate soul. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prime example of character splicing here! To be honest, Audrey’s ‘blubbering’ to me would be a little sharper, but of course Sebastian would go full break down so I tried to find a balance! And of course, the Flounder bit that found its way into Gil’s words. I had to include Ariel’s iconic line in here, just because I can hear it and see it so clearly! Thanks for checking this out! If you’re familiar with the plot of TLM, you know we’re close. 
> 
> XOXO,
> 
> capulets


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Take a gulp and take a breath and go ahead and sign the scroll.” - The Little Mermaid

**CHAPTER SIX**

_ Transformation  _

Ursula’s cave was surrounded by wards. Uma had expected as much; the whole world could be warned from entering it, and there would still be one merperson who didn't listen and they'd find themselves turned into a codfish and caught by a fisherman. The cave was located in the deepest, darkest, depths of the ocean. Only the most frigid, shadowy corner of the world would do for her mother when it came to practicing black magic. It didn't look too welcoming, the partially obscured boulder that acted as an entrance. She felt Gil’s hand sneak into her own so she squeezed it before approaching it with caution. The moment she laid a hand to the boulder, it fell away, giving an unobstructed view of the darkness beyond. Uma didn’t give herself time to be afraid. She swam through, eyes and ears sweeping the space for any sign of danger. Her tentacles brushed over slimy strings of  _ something  _ beneath her, the sensation enough to bring goosebumps to her skin. It was a relief to thrust aside the curtains of rough seaweed and enter the main space. Inside, it was a wonderland of items. Mystical baubles of all shapes and sizes lined the stone shelves. Chunks of black and blood red coral were stuck to the walls in haunting shapes, forming the figures of damned souls screaming out for mercy. There was a sort of vanity across the circular room, covered in jewels from the sea and other trinkets. That was one thing to be said about Ursula; there was nothing human in her cave. In the middle of it all, a large black clam sat proudly, clamped shut. 

“That must be where she keeps the trident.” Uma whispered, so naturally she approached it. Gil did as well, reluctantly, eyeing the clam with terrified suspicion.

“I don't like this, Uma…” He mumbled, but she ignored him. She couldn't have him going all guppy on her now! 

“I think Gil’s right.” Another voice said, and out came Audrey once more. And once more, Uma was annoyed. Why couldn't she just be left to her own devices? They were so close to enacting this plan; all she needed was the trident, and everything else would fall into place, she was sure. 

“Last time I checked I told you to go. That applies to this as well. Get out.” Uma growled, but she didn't bother turning around to face Audrey. Her focus was on that clam and how she was going to open it. It was taller than she was, wider than she was, but there had to be a way…

“Gil. See if you can pry it open.” Uma instructed, and he did as he was told to. He pushed and pulled, prodded and pried, but the clam didn't budge. Audrey clucked, scurrying over on her crab legs with a sigh.

“If you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself…” She groaned, before doing her damndest to open that clam. Again, it didn't budge. Finally, Uma came forward. After witnessing the failures of her friends, she wasn’t sure what else she could try that they hadn’t. Staring at the clam, her head shifted to the side. Hearing Audrey begin to start, she placed a hand up to silence her, taking another step towards the clam. There was something familiar about this; she swore that she’d done it before. Maybe it was an instinct, a long hidden memory drudged up and finally resurfacing, but something told to her to place her palm to it. She did so, barely skimming its smooth exterior before a loud  _ crack  _ echoed throughout the room. Gil looked thunderstruck, Audrey slight annoyed, and Uma smirked. 

“Blood magic,” she said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. She’d drawn the conclusion directly after the stint with the clam. That was how they'd been able to get past the wards, why the boulder had moved to admit them. Audrey must've snuck in before everything returned to what it once was. They fell silent as the clam opened, a golden glow spilling out onto the floor and illuminating the three merpeople surrounding it. Uma eagerly leaned forward to have a look inside, Audrey and Gil more cautiously following her lead. All three were met with…

“Nothing.” Uma said, bewildered, to the complete and utter disbelief of everyone in the cave. “There's nothing in here.”

“Nothing?” Gil echoed, scratching his head as his eyebrows came together.

“Nothing.” Audrey confirmed, as though she'd known all along the trip would've been a bust. 

Uma didn't understand. It just didn't make sense -- nothing was adding up. It was a fact all of Atlantica knew: Ursula had Triton’s trident, and she wouldn't hesitate to use it if that was what the situation called for. There they were, though, smack dab in the middle of the sea witch’s evil lair and no trident. The more Uma thought about it, the clearer her muddled mind became.

“She never had the trident,” the young half octopus whispered, almost in awe of Ursula’s genius, “She wanted us to  _ think  _ that she had. With the trident, she wouldn't need a marriage alliance to the human world; she could take it over for herself, have total control over sea and shore. She knew no one would question her because she rules the deep, and she  _ used that  _ on  _ everyone. _ She fooled all of us.”

_ Even me.  _

Uma’s gaze hardened, and all of a sudden, she let out a fierce yell.

“She does  _ not  _ get to win every time!” She screamed, before inhaling and calming herself. It was rare that the princess lost control, which made it easier to reign herself in before she went too far. “Everybody fan out,” Uma ordered, pointing towards the objects lining the shelves, “We’re gonna do this the old fashioned way.” Without the trident, there was only one other way to get what she wanted. She was going to do a spell. Her mother’s magic shell only worked for deals, and Uma wasn't willing to see how far Ursula was willing to go to keep her trident sham a secret. She could do this. She had magic in her blood, flowing through her veins. She could figure this out. They scoured every inch of the place looking for something that could help them. It hadn't taken that long with three people, but considering Ursula could've burst in at any moment, it felt like a lifetime. Uma had been about to suggest that they consider another plan before a scrap of paper caught her eye. She dove down, and unwedged it from beneath the clam. With that paper came others, a quill attached, all of it loosely bound by shells. 

“It's a list of deals.” Uma said, flipping through the little stack in her hands. The language it was written in was ancient, but she read it with ease. When Gil and Audrey attempted to see what was written, it was revealed that they couldn't. 

_ Clever, mother, very clever,  _ Uma thought as she read the terms and conditions on each page aloud. More blood magic; only sea witches from her direct line would be able to read the ink. That meant only Uma, for her sisters’ blood didn't contain the magic that flowed through her tentacles. She'd never been happier to be absent a tail. A few minutes of searching through ensued before she realized she'd been half correct. Her mother couldn't resist a deal, true. Before she'd taken over as Queen, her half of the sea was filled with poor unfortunate souls in pain and need. She documented each deal, yes, but the spell she'd used to enact it was also included. It appeared Ursula had never turned anyone into a human before  _ but  _ she'd written down the spell, filed underneath the words ‘Just In Case’. Audrey and Gil scattered and brought the necessary ingredients to Uma, who tossed them all into the clam as was instructed. It turned a different color with each addition, the golden glow returning more vibrantly than before when they'd finished adding everything in.

“Are you sure you can do this?” Audrey asked, her hesitance and panic on display for all of them to see. “I mean, do you even know what you're doing?” 

“What's my name?” Uma queried back, and Audrey stood before her, silent.

“What's my name?” The young witch repeated, unyielding as always in the face of doubt, to which Audrey quietly replied, “Uma.” She accepted it, and Gil nodded enthusiastically. 

“That's right.” Uma responded, strong and clear. And then, she began to sing.

“What's my name? What's my name? Say it louder.” 

The materials in the cauldron began to bubble, so she continued.

“What's my name? What's my name?  _ Feel the power. _ ” 

Ursula’s instructions called for concentration, for magically infused vocals, and Uma was beginning to delve into what that felt like.

“No one’s gonna stop us,  _ soon the world will be ours.” _

She began to vibrate, to tremble with all of the power inside of her. The potion in the clam began to glow, to shine, a brilliance unlike anything she'd ever seen rising up before her as her voice grew louder and louder. She could feel herself filling with the vibrancy of her voice, a buoyancy new to her elevating her spirit to new heights. All at once, she could feel  _ everything.  _ Gil’s fins swishing lightly as he watched, Audrey’s fingers expanding and retracting. Every ingredient in the room came alive. The clam called to her. The magic begged her to finish her spell. It was as though the entire ocean was on bended fin for her, and all she had to do was release it.

“ _ What's my name? What's my name? Say it loud!” _

As the last syllable slipped off of her lips, the bright note careening through the cave, the mixture shot out, engulfing Uma in a mushroom cloud reminiscent blaze of golden glory. The figure inside the glowing substance had her tentacles press together, saw the flash of a tail, before it separated into two human legs. She tried to open her mouth and breathe, but only a stream of bubbles came out. Springing into action, Gil and Audrey grabbed her arms and they shot out of that cave, not daring to stop until they'd broken the surface of the water. When Uma’s head rose out from above the waves, the upper part of her body following suit, the only feeling she could describe was the overwhelming sense of  _ freedom.  _ She’d never thought the suffocation of the sea would disappear after a mere intake of breath. Clutching her friends, they began to head in the direction of the shore. Their plan had worked! The sea witch was now completely human. As she sank back into the water, she opened her mouth to give out a victorious whoop of joy.

No sound came out.

Uma tried again, and nothing. Her third attempt came with no avail, and that was when she began to panic. What was happening? How could she have lost her voice? She did the spell exactly as was written — It couldn't have gone wrong! She must've done something incorrectly, must've missed something, must've —

“Angelfish.” A familiar voice purred, sickly sweet and practically teeming with gloating. Ursula appeared before them, although it wasn't really her. It was a mirror image of her, a knockoff, yet still lifelike enough to be horrifying. Thankfully, the reflection was caught in a sphere of water that formed a looking glass. Still, Gil ducked behind Uma with Audrey, and the newly minted human stared her mother down with nothing but rage and hatred in her eyes. In the mirror of water, she could see her mother stroking her precious shell necklace, one that was glowing and spewing an unmistakable melody with  _ her voice.  _ The voice that she was now missing. The voice her mother  _ stole.  _

_ You hijacked my spell,  _ Uma screeched in her mind, and Ursula laughed, reading her daughter's facial expression.

“Did you really think I didn't know what you were doing?” The original sea witch cackled, sick delight plastered all over her face; she was relishing this. “Who do you think orchestrated that storm? Who do you think conveniently allowed you to scheme uninterrupted? Who do you think left you that spell?” The laugh Ursula gave was maniacal, and Uma let out a soundless shriek of rage. It all fit together so perfectly. Someway, somehow, her mother knew she was going to defy the law and save the human she’d endangered with her storm. She knew her daughter would come to the conclusion of turning herself human, and she knew Uma would find the spell and perform it. The entire scandal was simply one big ploy to get Uma to do what she’d refused to, and it had worked wonderfully. As always, Ursula had been one step ahead the entire time.

“I simply forgot the price: in order for that particular spell to work, in order for you to transfer over to the world above, you need to give up the one thing you love most in this world. For you, my darling daughter, that's your voice. Don't you worry, I simply added a little kick! All magic comes with a price, my suckling, and you would be wise to remember that.” 

It was a lesson Uma knew she would never forget. 

“Now, here's what you're going to do.” Ursula smiled, and Uma felt her friends shiver. “You're going to go find that prince, the one I knew you'd rescue. You're going to marry him and cede the kingdom to me. Audrey will accompany you to ensure you do as I've instructed, and Gil will keep an eye on you both from the ocean, occasionally checking in and reporting back. I'll keep your voice safe, my pet, but should you even  _ think  _ about somehow telling that sniveling human of my plan, you'll see just how nasty the kick in this spell can be. And oh, if you fail me, your voice is mine forever and you're doomed to spend eternity in my watery hell soaked lair. Don't give me that face, sweets! You signed a contract by using one of  _ my  _ spells. You have three weeks to do as I ask. When the sun sets on the final day of the final week, your time is up. If you haven't completed my task, you will return to your original form and you belong to me. No more trips to the surface. No more disrespect. You are wholly mine, and you will do as I wish with no back talk, no complaints, no quiet rebellion, nothing. I own you.” 

On that cheery note, the water dissipated and the image of her mother disappeared, leaving them all to reflect on the consequences of their actions. Uma didn't know what was worse: being completely human, or being without her voice. And now, she  _ had  _ to do what her mother asked. There was no getting around it. Either she married a prince, or her voice was lost forever. Gil and Audrey kept a hold on a rapidly despairing Uma as they began to make their way towards shore. Despite the harshness they’d received, each of them understood it would do them no good to sit and mope, or work on comforting their fearless leader until they’d reached land. Time stopped for no one, and neither should they. Their three weeks began now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been such a long time! I really missed this, and returning to it has been surprisingly easy! I’ve just been a little caught up with education, but I hope you enjoyed this! The next chapter is what you’ve been waiting for. As always, thanks for checking this out! 
> 
> XOXO,
> 
> capulets


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Important encounters are planned by the soul long before the bodies see each other.”   
\- Paulo Coelho

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

_ Human Stuff _

Gil and Audrey practically collapsed onto the shore as they pushed Uma onto the sand. She'd been uncharacteristically quiet the entire time, but it was as though her entire demeanor had changed. Nowhere to be seen was the unstoppable princess who'd asked her friends what her name was and performed a high level spell with virtually no training or assistance. In her place was a melancholy young woman who was in desperate need of some clothing. 

Basically, it was the perfect time for Jay to enter. 

He flew down and landed on one of Uma’s legs, but she couldn't even be bothered to look at him. He didn't bother changing forms; this situation seemed to require a delicate touch.

“There's something different about you.” He noticed, clucking his tongue thoughtfully as he attempted to figure it out. “You got a new hairdo? Oh, by the way, there's this  _ great  _ human invention called the dinglehopper that helps with all that.”

Uma shook her head, gaze still trained on the sand. Jay hummed, tapping his chin with his wing as he considered what else it could be.

“New crown? New shells?” 

Uma’s teal braids were still in, so it wasn't that. She could sense him genuinely struggling but there was no way she'd be throwing him a pearl. She could barely even handle the situation as it was.

“No? Okay. I know there's something different about you but I can't quite put my finger on it…”

“She got legs, you idiot!” Audrey exclaimed, bonking him on the head for his foolishness. “Jeez, man! She traded her voice to the sea witch and got legs.”

_ “Oh!”  _ Jay said, before continuing, “Wait, what?” After the explanation of how Ursula had tricked Uma into doing her bidding came about, Jay was tutting at the former half octopus. 

“You can't just sit here and mope like a starfish! You gotta have a can-do kinda attitude! Have a little positicity! No, positricity. Nope, that's not it… Oh! Poositivity! Yeah, have a little poositivity!” 

Uma cast him a withering look, but to his credit, Jay didn't shrink down or freeze. Instead, he put his wing under her chin so she would be forced to meet his gaze, and set his other wing against her arm.

“Okay, so your mom is crazy. And that's really bad, but… Look around you, Uma. We’re all right here to help you and we’re not gonna stop until you've got your voice back.” He sounded as though he truly believed it, and Audrey and Gil voiced their assent as well. Once Uma had sighed, slowly nodding in agreement, Jay let out a content squawk. 

“What's your name?” Gil crowed, to which all three of them threw a particular look his way. Uma understood what he was trying to do, but right then really wasn't the time to try and do it. Instead, Jay took over, smoothly barking out the command of, “Now, let's see you walk! Head up, regal bearing!” before Uma bared her teeth at him and he amended it with a nearly inaudible and slightly frightened, “Please?”

There was a part of Uma that wanted to sit still on the sand, arms crossed, cursing her mother to the pits of whatever Hell was specifically created for her. However, the part of her that would always be there to answer Gil’s question, the woman who’d performed a spell for the first time _ever_ _correctly_, despite it being reasonably advanced magic, the princess who only wanted the best for her people, _that person _wasn’t going to allow herself to wallow in self pity. Her mother didn’t get to win. Not this time. So Uma dragged herself up, wobbling like a fish missing a fin while everyone around her had their hands out, ready to catch her should she fall. 

She stumbled forward, but the look in her eyes told Jay, Audrey, and Gil that she’d bite their hands off if they touched her. So they didn’t, and she ended up sprawled out face down in the sand, her arms and legs splayed at awkward angles. Like a petulant child, she sat herself up and crossed her arms again, suppressing a soundless shriek of rage. Gil moved forward, sinking down below her sightline and staring up at her. 

“What’s your name?” He said, an echo from earlier, and the way he spoke made the frustrated steel in her eyes blaze. His question was full of faith, full of the love and belief he had for his friend. Before, the question had inspired feelings of annoyance and exasperation. Now, it was what was pulling her up, brushing the sand off of her uncovered body and forcing her limbs to move. If anyone could inspire belief, it was Uma. She refused to shatter that notion by remaining where she was. Though she couldn’t speak, the answer to his question was scrawled across her skin in bright teal ink. Invisible to the naked eye but clear as day to the soul.

_Uma. _**_My_** **_name _**_is _**_Uma. _**

This time, she took a moment to consider her movements. Initially, she’d attempted to walk as she thought a human ought to, only to find her cheek pressing against the grainy surface below her. Now, she’d realized that a different approach would bring her more success. She’d grown up in the water. The ocean was all she’d ever known, so to throw herself headfirst into being human wasn’t the smartest idea. 

Slowly, she stretched a foot forward, pressing it down firmly into the ground. Arms outstretched to balance herself, she moved her other foot forward in a sweeping motion, as she would have done had she been in the water. It worked; she remained stable, and a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief left her mouth. Raising her chin, a fierce grin washed across her face as she took another step. Though she wobbled initially, she was beginning to get the hang of this. After a few more steps, Audrey was putting her hands up in a ‘Stop Everything!’ gesture. Uma narrowed her eyes, eyebrows lifting in a half aggravated half confused manner. Tutting exasperatedly, Audrey strolled in front of Uma, blocking her from the boys’ view. 

“I don’t think humans are supposed to run around uncovered.” She explained, and while Gil nodded, Jay shrugged. Their reactions didn’t surprise Uma in the slightest; she could guess well enough what was running through the latter’s mind, so it was no shock to her that he was unphased by her new form. She could only roll her eyes. Humans were so shy about themselves. Sure, mermaids wore shells but that was because it further connected them to their home. All sea creatures had some affiliation with shells; they were sacred. It was said that, while he was king of the sea, Posideon used the trident to create a bond between his domain and that of the humans. As a result, beautiful shells would occasionally wash up on shore. If they were found, it was a sign of good luck. Supposedly, Posideon’s descendants would be able to harness the magic buried deep inside of them. And should any creature of the deep find themselves on land, they could always feel the ocean inside of a shell. Ursula had struck the affiliation with the humans from the record, but Uma had a way of uncovering information most could only dream about. 

Her gaze flickered downwards, and her expression grew sullen as she took in the sight of her bare chest. Her shells, like her tentacles, had been a source of pride for her since she was born. Now they, along with her voice, were missing as well.

When Uma lifted her eyes, she peered out from over Audrey’s shoulders to catch the look on her face. Audrey’s eyes shone with determination as she stared the princess down; Uma had seen that look many times before, and wherever it was concerned, there was a plan to accompany it. 

“Don’t move.” Audrey instructed, before taking off down the beach. Uma huffed, pulling her teeth between her lips before shuffling a few steps closer to the water anyways. She gave the orders, not the other way around. The other woman returned in a matter of moments, and in her arms were seaweed, a collection of seashells, and what appeared to be a ripped sail, complete with rope still attached. 

“I think I can work with this.” Audrey moved, and she gave no forewarning as she dove at Uma, wrapping the sail around her body like a sheet. The rope was used to secure the makeshift gown, straps formed by it, and a belt holding everything together in the middle. The seashells were affixed to her braids via the seaweed, forming a crown of sorts. When all was said and done, Audrey handed Uma a piece of reflective glass she’d found along the shoreline, and the princess took to inspecting herself. The white of the sail contrasted well with her dark skin tone, and the little crown made her grin. A reminder of her status in this brave new world surely couldn’t hurt, could it? She turned to Audrey, leaning forward and gently pressing her cheek to the other girl’s. She’d moved back in a flash, but by the satisfied smirk on her friend’s face, there was no doubt her gratitude had been received. 

“Alright!” Audrey proclaimed, clapping her hands together twice. Jay and Gil were apparently useless in this situation, but everyone was accustomed to the half crustacean’s bright yet brusque mannerisms. “That prince could scurry down this beach any second — we need to present you as irresistible.” Uma scowled at that; she didn’t like the idea of being dressed up and laid out on a platter for someone to embrace or discard. However, Audrey knew what she was doing most of the time, and there was nothing about this situation that suggested any different. Uma allowed herself to be led over to a conveniently large rock and positioned on top of it. Legs curled underneath her, hands clutching the edge of the rock to hold herself up, she felt more foolish than alluring. Was this really how humans attracted other humans? All of it was ridiculous! 

As Audrey had been advising Uma, Jay was told to fly overhead and make as much noise as possible. He did his job wonderfully, swooping and crowing and yodeling as best he could. Uma could hear him from the rock, and the noises were enough to sour her already less than amicable mood. When she began to hear a, “What, what?” amidst the screams of the seagull, she perked up a bit. 

_ “Oh.”  _ Was the next thing her ears registered as Audrey dove behind the rock and Uma drew herself up a bit. She wasn’t sure why or how, but she would’ve recognized that brogue anywhere. It was him, the young man she’d saved from the storm. She had an unobstructed view of him now, so she took her time to take him in. He had a strong build; the definition of his body was plainly seen. He held a hook in his hand, but it wasn’t in a threatening way. If she couldn’t discern that his fingers were gripping some sort of handle, she would’ve thought it an extended limb. His brown locks were a little messy, spilling out almost into his eyes a bit. He had a wild look about him, an air of freedom she’d never seen in a human before. That haunting blue was staring right at her, and it felt almost… hypnotizing. 

“Oh, I see,” He was saying, approaching her as though he was but a servant, ready and willing and awaiting his orders from her. She blinked lightly, forcing herself to remain present and focused. She didn’t shy away from his gaze. Rather, she challenged it; she  _ dared him  _ to look at her, dared him to see her exactly as she was in that moment. 

“Are ye okay, lass?” He asked, sounding appropriately concerned for finding a woman who hadn’t made a sound yet dressed in pieces of the sea and shore. Before she could answer, he was examining her more closely, answering the challenge she’d issued. He sank down on her level, making sure to keep his hands on the rock instead of her. She commended his intelligence for it; touching her in that moment would’ve felt strange. 

“You seem… very familiar to me.” He admitted quietly, attempting to place her features. At least, that’s what she assumed he was doing. This was part staring contest, part curious interrogation. She didn’t mind the questions or his speaking, though — that voice paired with his eyes had a lulling sort of quality. She could drown in them both if she let herself, but she wouldn’t. Moving closer, he ducked his head down a bit. Their eyes were  _ almost  _ directly across from each other; he’d sunk down just slightly. Nothing was said as they took each other in, neither willing to break the cycle of whatever was occurring. Uma felt her fingers tremble lightly against the rock. His were a few centimeters away, and she didn’t even need to look to know exactly where they were. In both of their eyes was intrigue, and familiarity. She knew he knew her. It was up to him to figure out from where. 

“Have we met?” At this, Uma nodded quickly. There was nothing wrong with a little nudge in the right direction, she supposed. So he remembered! He blinked at her, eyes narrowing before widening. Suddenly, he threw himself on his knees before her, gazing up at her in such reverence and admiration it was almost blinding. 

“It’s you.” He whispered, and there was an unmistakable note of excitement mixed in with the emotions in his eyes, “You’re the one. I knew it — you’re the one I’ve been looking for!” He sounded beyond relieved. Overjoyed, even. Uma wasn’t sure how to process the idea that he’d been trying to find her, but it made getting her voice back a whole lot easier. And to think, she’d actually been worried about the outcome!

“What’s yer name?” It was as if he’d been waiting his whole life to know. The pedestal he held her on for whatever reason was working out exactly in her favor (which indirectly assisted her mother, but in order to get her voice back, she was going to do what needed to be done). Without thinking, Uma opened her mouth to speak, giving him her name without sound. Immediately, a worried expression came over his face.

“What’s wrong? What is it?” His hands inched forward, head following suit with a little lean. She could practically feel the pull of his fingers to hers, but she resisted it, pressing her palms against the rock hard enough to produce a little pain, but not hard enough to draw blood. Suppressing the face she wanted to make since she couldn’t give out a groan of frustration, she brushed her fingers against her throat and shook her head lightly. 

“You can’t talk?” He guessed, and white hot rage flashed behind her eyes as she forced herself to nod. 

“Oh.” He mumbled, and he was the first to crack, looking down at their almost touching fingertips with a fierce sense of melancholy. “You couldn’t possibly be the one I was looking for, then.” He sounded regretful, as if he was sorry for instilling hope that wasn’t even there inside of her. More than that, she could hear an ache in his words, a longing so prominent it made her want to scream. Seriously? That was it, then? Just because she couldn’t speak, he assumed she hadn’t been the one that saved him? She would’ve cracked him over his idiotic head if it wasn’t so gorgeous. That thought gave her an idea. Leaning away from him to give herself more space, she began waving her arms about wildly, attempting to show him part of what had happened with her voice. Remembering her mother’s warning, she kept any and all potentially incriminating silent details to herself. 

“What? What is it? You’re hurt? No — you need help? No… Then, whoa!” 

In the entrance of the prince and all of her gesturing, Uma had forgotten Audrey’s presence. So when she felt a two hands pressed into her back, propelling her off the rock, she decided right then and there she was going to kill herself a crab later. Muscled arms wrapped around her frame, stabilizing her before releasing her. 

“Careful.” He murmured, taking care to keep his hands out just in case she needed more assistance. Uma only cut him a sharp look, and the hands were retracted. “You must’ve really been through something.” He said, and she would’ve broken down in laughter right then and there had she not believed it would confuse him even more. While every fiber of her being was screaming at her to hit him and make him understand that  _ this  _ was not how they were supposed to meet, her foot twisted awkwardly and she crashed against his chest, arms latching around his neck for support. She expelled the breath from her throat, eyes latching onto his. He’d caught her again, of course, but this time, he had yet to let go. Her toes were pressed down into the sand, drawing her up against him. Neither of them said a word. She could feel him inhaling and exhaling, the rise and fall of his chest colliding with her own. Everything around her seemed to be moving a tad slower. The sound of the waves crashing had muted slightly, the sea breeze akin to a caress as opposed to a true gust. When at last he spoke, she felt as though she could breathe again.

“Let me help you.” He pleaded, and she consented with another nod. That was exactly what she wanted to happen — garnering his sympathy early on would endear him to her, making this entire vocal recovery quest simpler in the end. 

“May I — ” He began softly, lowering himself onto his knees and bringing his hook up so that it was against her calf. The metal was cool against her skin, but she remained unflinching despite the fact that one twist could send the point directly into her leg. Gently, he touched her skin in a sweeping motion, and she caught his drift easily enough. Since it appeared he wouldn’t move without her explicit consent, she brought a hand to his shoulder and pressed down on it lightly as a silent ‘yes’. She wasn’t prepared to be scooped up by him, one arm underneath her knees and the other supporting her back. Still, she adapted to it, stretching herself up in his arms, keeping her own locked tightly around his neck. He was still a bit taller than she was, but considering he’d made it a point to remain underneath her since he’d seen her, she was letting this one go. One quick glance behind her told her Audrey, Jay, and Gil (who’d retreated into the water before returning as Uma was carried away) were celebrating over the success of the plan.

All at once, the weight of the day crested upon her. Uma’s tensed body began to relax as she set her head against his neck and closed her eyes. The swaying of his movements only worsened her exhausted state. In new situations, she did her best to stay alert and remain vigilant, but there was something about him that called to her. The sensation of his swaying steps was lulling her into a softer state. It was reminiscent of the tide’s caress on a good day, when her mother was content to leave hell raising for another time. She blamed her unusually immediate comfort with him on how tired she was, the liquefying of her bones on the ebb and flow of his movements. Uma’s surprise at hearing a slightly erratic heartbeat under her was promptly forgotten as she centered herself closer to his warmth and drifted off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I haven’t forgotten about this story! I’ve just been lacking in inspiration lately but it’s rushing back so I’m trying to do what I can with that! Ariel and Eric’s first meeting was iconic, and I hope I captured that with Huma’s intensity and electricity. I feel like Audrey definitely would’ve been helping Uma out, so that was really fun to explore! The shell bit was me making up lore for the fun of it, which was also pretty cool. Well, to me at least. I read all of your comments from the last few chapters and they made me smile. Thanks for sticking with this if you have, welcome if you’re new, and a major thank you all for reading, as usual! 
> 
> XOXO,
> 
> capulets

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Okay, so, I was really nervous to post this but I’m super excited to see what you all think! If you received a random ask regarding The Little Mermaid and Huma, surprise, it was me. This definitely would not have happened without you, though, so thank you so much from the bottom of my heart! 
> 
> Getting into the mindset was a little difficult, but I tried my best to do our Queen of The Isle justice! I’m really excited to be working on this, and I’m ready to see where it goes! I feel like Uma would’ve gotten to the point where she isn’t necessarily afraid of her mother anymore, just tired of everything she’s been forced to endure over the years. Of course, the fear of death by Ursula’s hand is very real, so I hope that was conveyed! 
> 
> Hopefully this was an okay beginning!
> 
> XOXO,
> 
> capulets


End file.
